Wednesday, December 8, 2010

What Google eBooks could mean to komiks

If you hadn't heard the news yet, Google just launched their eBooks service. It's been setup to be readable on any device that can log onto the web. The books are not downloaded, but rather stored in a personal library you can log into from anywhere. It will automatically sync between devices too, so you could start reading on your desktop at home, and then continue on your smartphone or laptop as you're going about your day. Cool stuff.

Here's a video explaining the whole concept:

So why should komiks people be interested in this? Unlike existing ebook stores from Amazon and Apple, Google is looking to partner with as many publishers as possible. They're partnering with all the publishing giants, but will also accept independent publishers. Directly self-publishing through Google is not quite there yet, which they may pursue depending on the success of this endeavor.

In any case, it also wouldn't be too much of a stretch to see some comics made by Pinoys, and even locally made comics, to appear here eventually. If we do get in such a market, we're more likely to get more favorable terms than from Apple's restrictive App Store approval process. It's best that we find out about these technologies now so that we'll be ready to utilize them when they become available to us.

Sources here and here. You can also read Google's official press release here.

edgArt.Supplies

Save Loomis!

Andrew Loomis was an illustrator from the turn of the century who is now famous for making some of the most informative, easy to understand books on illustration.

These books will give beginner artists a solid foundation in the craft of illustration, especially the human figure. These books are cited by Alex Ross and Steve Rude as helping them learn the fundamentals of drawing.